The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-03-16

sister
Before sunrise the next morning. she
was up and prepared the simple break
f-st. and "a MONDAY lunch for herself
and Elsie.
When presently. Elsie awoke. she
washed and dressed the child and they
ate breakfast together.
At halfpast six Nell kissed Elsie good
bye, laid two or three weil-worn books
within reach of the helpless child. and
-eiziug her lunch-basket, tripped merrily
away 70 her work
Nell worked in a great printing and
publishing house. and earned 3 pound q
week
1, seemeI pitiful sum. and She hardly
knew how she made ends meet with It 4,
burthe was rigid economist. ami gener-
ally had a few pennies with which 10 buy
deLicacie- for her invalid sister. - ho had
been her constant care since, two years
before, they we're left orphans
Nell bad day dreams sometimes, but
they did not interfere vi,h the practical
ISSUES OF life. and the foreman Of the room
where she worked considered her his best
hand
On the floor above was the hin1ery.
Nell knew the foreman. middle-aged
>cotchman, who had been in the employ
ofthe tirm since boyho5d. and that day
at noon she sought him out IN bis little
office. rliIed off in one corner ofthe great
room
Nr Carnage, she said. breaking the
string that confined the manuscript Of
her book. 4 want 10 ask favor Of
you
-Weue~ said tine foreman iuteroga-
lively. speaking with a Strong Scotch
accent
1--WE zot some manuscript here-SoIue
li,rle stories that have written out from
time TO time for my crippled sisters bene-
Ht. If were rich I would have them
printed, although I'm not fool enough 10
believe they possess any merit, except for
her I've made the ulanu>cripJ as much
ike book page as possible. with wide
laar.ius all around. and I want To know
Il YOU will bind it for me IN one OF those
pretty -iit book covers, with these letters
stamped IN gold on the front Elsie in
Fairylaud. by sister Veil want to-
to-
Il can't DO it, said the foreman. . lit
lie -rulay. shaking his mead ID ii, con-
trary To- orders. One Of those gift bind
inzs Is worth i've -hilliugs- You'll have
10 -er the manager down stairs. He
don't hire me To give assay his stock"
Very weli~ cried Nell, snatching up
the manuscript with defiant toss Of her
heaf. I've done you many tlyors, and
you can do this if YOU van, 10. It's not
likely that tn ask the manager, but the
books got To be- bound # It eo-t- me q
week pay.
She fouu,ed out Of the roon, the an
grv crimson dveiug her face. and went
straight TO the business office down
stair
What'l II cost 90 have this bound in
one Of those fancy BOOK coverS2~ she
asked Of Mr.. johnson. the business man
aeer of the house. not noticing that Mr..
Cyril Cavthorne. the junior member Of
the great publishing house Of Cawthorue
* SON. and the head Of the literary de-
partueut. was standing close beside the
business managers high desk
Mr. Johnson picked up the package of
manuscript. on the first pa-e Of which
was picture done in water color, crude.
ike all the rest. but drawn and colorei
bv the same free hand that gave To all
her pictures life and character
He glanced from it TO the face Of the
girl
You're one Of our Young women up
stairs. ara y0u nota" he asked
Ys-, sir
1T Is not our custom To charge en-
play=, anything f1r little jobs Ike this !;
and turning 10 Young Mr. Cavthorne. he
hand,5 him Nell'- precious manuscript
q We won't charge one Of our hands any
thing for binding this
Nr Cavtborne took the manuscript
and. without answering. began turning
the leaves.
The manager walked away, leaving
Well still standing in front Of the desk
Mr Cawthorne -semed interested in
reading what the zrl had written down,
and in examining her crude pictures, Tor
the minutes passed aSay. and le neither
looked al her nor spoke.
When the hands on the clock above
the iesz indicated five miuu-es Of l. Nell
ventured 20 break the silence.
q # you please. sir. she began. -
Where did you get these stories e' de-
mauded Mr.. Cawthorne with sudden
-arnestne-s. tapping the manuscript with
hi- long fore6n-er, and raising his spec
tacIed eyes 10 NelI's face
They are mine" she answared. I
wrote them out
% DO you mean 90 -ay Jhatyou cumpos-
ed them and that these drawing, ara
your. 2
Ye-. sir. I know they are not very
good. but my little lame sister thinks
they ara grand, ami it i To please her
that put them in that shape, and want
them bound. 50 that she can read them
over while ! am At work
Ahem, Miss -
Gwinlett7
e. Yes, Miss GwinIett. want to talk TO
YOU Walk into my Office. please.
And before Nell could realize what it
all meant she found herself seated in the
publisher, private office. telling him the
story Of her life, and how the fairy sto-
ries came 10 be written, and all her hopes
and plans and ambitions
Wien al length she finished, the pub
Usher spoke with an earnestness that
nearly took NeIIs breath away
These stories he said, are capital
at least. if can judge from one that
have just read-and your sister i a ..iost
excellent critic. Our house has been
wanting to publish book ike this for
some time, and if you'll allow me, III
make YOU an offer for the manuscript
including the sketches
.-T- stfE NaU